Small Talk: The Prayer Closet

[auntieminem]

11 hours ago, AstridM said:

What does this mean?

It was odd and I probably can't explain it well. To me as of late the world feels so divided and broken. I was observing from my back deck by myself but was thinking that there were millions of people along the path doing the same and so many at the same time.  The experience of the temperature dropping and the skies turning colors and getting darker, the noise of the birds then the silence. My crow friends, Edgar Allan and Sheryl Crow, yelling what's going on then flying off to look for the family roosting place.  It was so amazing yet rare, but not really, just rare it would be a path where I could observe.  It was comforting that all these other people were feeling the same sense of awe.  It didn't fix the world but did at least temporarily adjust my feelings in a positive way. 

[AstridM]

47 minutes ago, auntieminem said:

It was odd and I probably can't explain it well. To me as of late the world feels so divided and broken. I was observing from my back deck by myself but was thinking that there were millions of people along the path doing the same and so many at the same time.  The experience of the temperature dropping and the skies turning colors and getting darker, the noise of the birds then the silence. My crow friends, Edgar Allan and Sheryl Crow, yelling what's going on then flying off to look for the family roosting place.  It was so amazing yet rare, but not really, just rare it would be a path where I could observe.  It was comforting that all these other people were feeling the same sense of awe.  It didn't fix the world but did at least temporarily adjust my feelings in a positive way. 

Beautiful, thank you!

[jcbrown]

4 hours ago, auntieminem said:

It was odd and I probably can't explain it well. To me as of late the world feels so divided and broken. I was observing from my back deck by myself but was thinking that there were millions of people along the path doing the same and so many at the same time.  The experience of the temperature dropping and the skies turning colors and getting darker, the noise of the birds then the silence. My crow friends, Edgar Allan and Sheryl Crow, yelling what's going on then flying off to look for the family roosting place.  It was so amazing yet rare, but not really, just rare it would be a path where I could observe.  It was comforting that all these other people were feeling the same sense of awe.  It didn't fix the world but did at least temporarily adjust my feelings in a positive way. 

I agree with @AstridM that you described it beautifully. And I love that you've named a couple of local crows Edgar Allen and Sheryl. 🤣

 

[sixlets]

On 4/8/2024 at 7:21 PM, SunnyBeBe said:

Has anyone bought a new car lately?  I’m researching. Looking for sporty, fun, reliable and not too small SUV.  A good friend swears by her Subaru Cross Trek.  It looks good. Idk.  Any suggestions appreciated.  

We had a leased 2021 Ford Escape, but the lease was ending soon.  We traded it in early and bought a 2024 Ford Escape Plug-In Hybrid. We've had it 3 weeks now. Her name is Effie😊.  Initially, we didn't think they changed much in the body style, but it turns out there were huge changes.  This link takes you to the exact car. We did a black-on-black option  We already drove it 350+ miles on Easter Sunday to see family.  It's quite comfy as well.  The biggest difference is they put 99% of the media/technology package on a giant horizontal iPad screen, which is what Tesla does.  Effie is getting great gas mileage, and she's very easy to charge. It does a level 2 charger, so the ones made by Tesla don't work, at least for now.  There was talk about merging to share.  One of the biggest reasons we went with another Escape is safety.  Our white titanium saved us from a potentially serious accident on our Beltway last year.  Traffic went from 65mph to a dead stop in about 3-5 *seconds*.  It sensed I had no chance of stopping in time, and it actually applied the brakes, and hard, to get me stopped.  I did not hit anyone, but the lady behind me panicked and swerved into another lane causing a wreck.  Everyone walked away with no injuries.  Scariest time on the Beltway for me...ever!

Sidenote and full transparency--We had leased a 2019 Subaru Crosstrek, and while it was nice, it was missing a lot of features we like.  We both want an integrated technology package that supports Apple Car Play.  And we are also buyers who get the top trim package, which is what we did with the Crosstrek.  It didn't even have a power seat for the front seat passenger.  There was the old-fashioned bar at the front.  That irritated both of us.  I'll 100% admit we are picky with vehicles (and definitely snobbish too), but I know we will not get another Subaru.  

Edited April 10 by sixlets
One should not be typing at 150am and expect it to be good.

[SunnyBeBe]

5 hours ago, sixlets said:

We had a leased 2021 Ford Escape, but the lease was ending soon.  We traded it in early and bought a 2024 Ford Escape Plug-In Hybrid. We've had it 3 weeks now. Her name is Effie😊.  Initially, we didn't think they changed much in the body style, but it turns out there were huge changes.  This link takes you to the exact car. We did a black-on-black option  We already drove it 350+ miles on Easter Sunday to see family.  It's quite comfy as well.  The biggest difference is they put 99% of the media/technology package on a giant horizontal iPad screen, which is what Tesla does.  Effie is getting great gas mileage, and she's very easy to charge. It does a level 2 charger, so the ones made by Tesla don't work, at least for now.  There was talk about merging to share.  One of the biggest reasons we went with another Escape is safety.  Our white titanium saved us from a potentially serious accident on our Beltway last year.  Traffic went from 65mph to a dead stop in about 3-5 *seconds*.  It sensed I had no chance of stopping in time, and it actually applied the brakes, and hard, to get me stopped.  I did not hit anyone, but the lady behind me panicked and swerved into another lane causing a wreck.  Everyone walked away with no injuries.  Scariest time on the Beltway for me...ever!

Sidenote and full transparency--We had leased a 2019 Subaru Crosstrek, and while it was nice, it was missing a lot of features we like.  We both want an integrated technology package that supports Apple Car Play.  And we are also buyers who get the top trim package, which is what we did with the Crosstrek.  It didn't even have a power seat for the front seat passenger.  There was the old-fashioned bar at the front.  That irritated both of us.  I'll 100% admit we are picky with vehicles (and definitely snobbish too), but I know we will not get another Subaru.  

I appreciate your candid response.  I had read about technology lacking in the Crosstrek.  I’ll have to factor that in.  I hadn’t considered a Ford Escape, but I will now.  
 

I’m now wondering….do I want a hybrid?  Hmmmm….

Well, now I’m doing the deep dive. Which is good. It’s a lot of money. So, I’m exploring Ford Escape, Mazda CX-5, Crosstrek, Rave 4 and Kia Sportage. 

 

Thank you for your help on this.  

Edited April 10 by SunnyBeBe

[Kbo]

3 hours ago, SunnyBeBe said:

I appreciate your candid response.  I had read about technology lacking in the Crosstrek.  I’ll have to factor that in.  I hadn’t considered a Ford Escape, but I will now.  
 

I’m now wondering….do I want a hybrid?  Hmmmm….

Well, now I’m doing the deep dive. Which is good. It’s a lot of money. So, I’m exploring Ford Escape, Mazda CX-5, Crosstrek, Rave 4 and Kia Sportage. 

 

Thank you for your help on this.  

Not exactly the same, but we just bought a Mazda CX-9 a couple months ago and we absolutely love it. It’s so fun to drive, and it has so many useful features. We got the Carbon edition and it’s mid range on features but feels loaded. I’m still driving a 2008 CR-V and it feels like a tin can in comparison. Definitely recommend a test drive. 

[skatelady]

I didn't go outside during the eclipse because I couldn't be sure my 2yo grandson (he's with me during the workday) would keep the glasses on. Instead, we watched the event on tv, and during totality he noticed that it got darker outside my house - and asked "grandma, raining?" (it was about 95% where we live). I guess he associated daytime darkness with rain! My smart boy. 

As for the earthquake, I didn't feel a thing - but my husband ran down to the basement to check the washing machine. He thought it was so off-kilter that it made the whole house shake. Crazy that I was so oblivious that I noticed nothing. 

And, my youngest daughter had a baby over the weekend - and I got to attend the birth! So intense and emotional. A healthy beautiful baby girl.

An earthquake, a baby, and an eclipse all in the space of a few days. I am so very lucky. A week to remember, for sure. 

[Jynnan tonnix]

19 hours ago, auntieminem said:

It was odd and I probably can't explain it well. To me as of late the world feels so divided and broken. I was observing from my back deck by myself but was thinking that there were millions of people along the path doing the same and so many at the same time.  The experience of the temperature dropping and the skies turning colors and getting darker, the noise of the birds then the silence. My crow friends, Edgar Allan and Sheryl Crow, yelling what's going on then flying off to look for the family roosting place.  It was so amazing yet rare, but not really, just rare it would be a path where I could observe.  It was comforting that all these other people were feeling the same sense of awe.  It didn't fix the world but did at least temporarily adjust my feelings in a positive way. 

That was a beautiful description, and makes me wish I had paid a bit more attention to it. I don't think we were going to be particularly near totality in any case, and didn't have eclipse glasses, so I stayed in the house. Actually, I wasn't even sure what time it was supposed to happen, and had just about forgotten about the whole thing until late afternoon, when it started looking kind of darkish outside. The only total eclipse I clearly remember seeing was way back when I was in high school, some 50 years ago, and we all had glasses and went out to look at it. There was another one somewhere along the lines, but it was cloudy that time (I don't recall where it was that we were stationed then), and a few partials, but I guess after the first few partials they kind of lose the fascination. I'd love to experience a total one again sometime, but I don't think we are due for another one in Connecticut for years.

[Jeeves]

@SunnyBeBe - I've owned three Subaru Outbacks (the model that's bigger than the Crosstrek) and liked them all. They could travel in snowy conditions that other cars couldn't. If you buy a Subaru and tend to keep your cars a long time, I recommend you get their extended warranty. Unless things have changed recently, their new car warranty is shorter than many other manufacturers. 

I also tend to buy the fancy model when buying new. My 2012 Outback had most all of the toys. But although the driver's seat had power controls, the front passenger seat didn't. I can see how that would be irritating.

I only ditched the Subaru when I got a minivan to travel and camp in. I sometimes miss the Subie's AWD. If I go back to a non-minivan vehicle I would look at other makes as well as Subaru, and I'd probably go for something with AWD.

Good luck with the car search!

[jcbrown]

I've driven a Tesla Model S since 2012 and, while I love it, I would not buy another Tesla because of the shenanigans of the head guy. It is also a little bigger than I wish it were so will definitely go smaller for the next car. But I am completely converted to electric. Haven't put gas in a car other than a rental since 2013. Not going back. We had a dedicated 220 circuit added to charge it overnight at home and range is no problem whatsoever. I used to commute up to 450 miles a week in it before I retired.

[Zella]

I've only ever owned Hondas and really love my CRV. 

[Love2dance]

Oh, @skatelady, what a week for you! Congratulations on your new baby granddaughter. 👶 How I miss those cuddly infant days.

[GeeGolly]

Like @Jeeves my Subaru is equipped with all the toys. And like @Zella, I have friends who love their Hondas. Both are great cars.

After safety and reliability, personal choice is huge. I like tight sturdy little cars and my husband prefers more of a smooth ride, so we would never choose the same car. Also, how you use a car matters. Mostly short trips around town, rugged terrain, snowy climate, hour long commute on a highway, etc. Only groceries in the back, lumber and power tools, tag sale purchases, sports equipment, etc.

My friends and I joke about buying cars at our ages. Our aim is to buy one which will outlast us. 😬👩🏽‍🦳🙃😂

[Zella]

32 minutes ago, GeeGolly said:

my husband prefers more of a smooth ride,

Yes! The rest of my family all drives either Toyotas (or Dodges). All the Toyota drivers concede my Honda is a smoother ride by far, but they always still go back to the Toyotas when it is time to buy. LOL My first 2 cars were Accords, but whenever I buy again--hopefully not any time soon--I'd definitely get another CRV. I don't like SUVs that are really big, so I like that the CRV seems sturdier than the car but doesn't feel like I'm driving in stilts. 

[CalicoKitty]

1 hour ago, Zella said:

Yes! The rest of my family all drives either Toyotas (or Dodges). All the Toyota drivers concede my Honda is a smoother ride by far, but they always still go back to the Toyotas when it is time to buy. LOL My first 2 cars were Accords, but whenever I buy again--hopefully not any time soon--I'd definitely get another CRV. I don't like SUVs that are really big, so I like that the CRV seems sturdier than the car but doesn't feel like I'mI ha driving in stilts. 

I have always driven Hondas, with one, horrible exception.  I bought a Toyota Highlander, and it was a total piece of junk.  I had water gush into the passenger footwell from a faulty air conditioning pipe.  I had a Freeon leak in the dash board that they could never find, and I was adding Freeon about every 6 months.  The timing belt went out six months after I bought it (new).  The alternator went out in the middle of the freeway.  I will never buy a Toyota again.  I went back to Honda, and I love my CRV.  My current CRV is a 2015 and I have never had one day of trouble.  Ever.  I think I am a Honda for lifer.

[emma675]

4 hours ago, CalicoKitty said:

I have always driven Hondas, with one, horrible exception.  I bought a Toyota Highlander, and it was a total piece of junk.  I had water gush into the passenger footwell from a faulty air conditioning pipe.  I had a Freeon leak in the dash board that they could never find, and I was adding Freeon about every 6 months.  The timing belt went out six months after I bought it (new).  The alternator went out in the middle of the freeway.  I will never buy a Toyota again.  I went back to Honda, and I love my CRV.  My current CRV is a 2015 and I have never had one day of trouble.  Ever.  I think I am a Honda for lifer.

That sounds like me and my Volkswagen suv. Everyone always raved about how VWs were reliable cars and I had to fix more on that one car than any of my other cars combined. It broke a rod turning a corner, the coolant system basically fell out of the bottom of the engine on the highway one day, I had to replace all 4 tires at different times during the first two years, etc. I hated that car and I will never buy another VW.

[Westiepeach]

5 hours ago, CalicoKitty said:

I have always driven Hondas, with one, horrible exception.  I bought a Toyota Highlander, and it was a total piece of junk.  I had water gush into the passenger footwell from a faulty air conditioning pipe.  I had a Freeon leak in the dash board that they could never find, and I was adding Freeon about every 6 months.  The timing belt went out six months after I bought it (new).  The alternator went out in the middle of the freeway.  I will never buy a Toyota again.  I went back to Honda, and I love my CRV.  My current CRV is a 2015 and I have never had one day of trouble.  Ever.  I think I am a Honda for lifer.

I had a Toyota Highlander from 2006 until 2022. I loved it! It was the best car I had… until I bought a RAV4. That is now the best car! I guess it just depends on the car! 🚗 

[sixlets]

Mr. Six found an upside to taking my car to work rather than his own.  While he did not exclusively use the Beltway and the Key Bridge in his commute, his regular commute is now all backward with the detours.  He went from a 30-minute morning and 30-40-minute evening to a 45-50 morning to a 60 evening.  Because of the stop-and-start traffic and how the plug-in hybrid works, he's running the evening commute on battery alone.  His car gets decent mileage for being a Mustang.  Pre-pandemic, we actually put the deposit down on a Tesla, but the charging was too difficult to do at the time.  His office did not have the charger it does now, and we live in a townhouse development.  We always considered it after a few cars, but we couldn't justify it because of, ahem, Mr. Tesla.  We'll be moving in the next 2-3 years, and we would then consider a 100% electric.  But, for now, little Effie is kicking ass...and she's pretty too 😉

[jcbrown]

5 hours ago, emma675 said:

That sounds like me and my Volkswagen suv. Everyone always raved about how VWs were reliable cars and I had to fix more on that one car than any of my other cars combined. It broke a rod turning a corner, the coolant system basically fell out of the bottom of the engine on the highway one day, I had to replace all 4 tires at different times during the first two years, etc. I hated that car and I will never buy another VW.

Oh man, preach. We had an Audi for a while (made by VW) and it was a total piece of crap. I had to buy oil by the case because that thing sucked it down so fast between oil changes (no leaks, I have no idea what it was doing with it all). It was all-wheel drive and it ATE tires. Random crap went bad with it all the time--like the rear window suddenly deciding it was tired of being closed all the time and refusing to stay up. It was two of us in the household, no one EVER sat back there let alone used the window. Never ever would I have another Audi and I implore others to avoid the error we made.

2 hours ago, sixlets said:

We always considered it after a few cars, but we couldn't justify it because of, ahem, Mr. Tesla.  

Yeah, we have a license plate frame on our rear plate that says "bought before Space Karen went crazy."

[SunnyBeBe]

I’m taking notes.  So much to consider with such a large purchase.  Today Show had a segment on car purchases this morning.  

[Zella]

33 minutes ago, jcbrown said:

Yeah, we have a license plate frame on our rear plate that says "bought before Space Karen went crazy."

LOL I love this.

[Mindthinkr]

No matter which car you choose to buy be sure to check multiple dealers for the best price. My daughter just bought a new Subaru a few months ago. She was willing to drive to a few dealerships. She got a quote (written) and she took it with her to see if the other salespersons could beat the previous deal. After some careful comparisons she ended up paying $6k less than what the original price was. She had to buy it from a place a hour from her home, but is able to use the closer one for service. 

[SunnyBeBe]

12 hours ago, Mindthinkr said:

No matter which car you choose to buy be sure to check multiple dealers for the best price. My daughter just bought a new Subaru a few months ago. She was willing to drive to a few dealerships. She got a quote (written) and she took it with her to see if the other salespersons could beat the previous deal. After some careful comparisons she ended up paying $6k less than what the original price was. She had to buy it from a place a hour from her home, but is able to use the closer one for service. 

Good points!  I’m hoping to actually  look next week in person. I’ve already received some advice from people at the office of places to avoid.  

[Mindthinkr]

Grateful News: 

   My daughter was driving her son to a friend’s house last evening. She was on her way home when she saw a lightning strike to her right. The tree fell, caught on fire, but it knocked down the power lines which landed on her car. So it’s raining (she knows that water and electricity are not friends so she didn’t get out to investigate) and she’s watching the fire growing on the side of the road. She called Fire and Rescue who responded. After they were able to lift the live wire off of her hood, she backed up under their direction, made a U-turn and was able to drive home. Crisis averted. Today she is still shaken up, but we are both grateful that it wasn’t more serious. 

[Love2dance]

Oh, @Mindthinkr, that had to be SOOOOO scary. So glad she is ok. I can’t imagine how terrifying it must have been waiting in the car.

[kristen111]

On 4/11/2024 at 5:29 PM, Westiepeach said:

I had a Toyota Highlander from 2006 until 2022. I loved it! It was the best car I had… until I bought a RAV4. That is now the best car! I guess it just depends on the car! 🚗 

OMG, I had a RAV4.  It was Fabulous.  It had a CD player in it and the sound as the best.  Then, some jerky kid slammed into us at a red light.  I was heartbroken.  The car was totaled.  No more CD player.  The car was the best we’ve ever had.  We now have a Kia. Not the same.

 

[kristen111]

On 4/13/2024 at 10:44 AM, Mindthinkr said:

Grateful News: 

   My daughter was driving her son to a friend’s house last evening. She was on her way home when she saw a lightning strike to her right. The tree fell, caught on fire, but it knocked down the power lines which landed on her car. So it’s raining (she knows that water and electricity are not friends so she didn’t get out to investigate) and she’s watching the fire growing on the side of the road. She called Fire and Rescue who responded. After they were able to lift the live wire off of her hood, she backed up under their direction, made a U-turn and was able to drive home. Crisis averted. Today she is still shaken up, but we are both grateful that it wasn’t more serious. 

Thank God for cell phones.  Years ago we worried about our kids.  Now, we worry about the Grandkids.  Plus, things are worse now with the drugs while driving.  Your Daughter was very lucky.

[BetyBee]

Our new to us cat (he's 4.5 and we've had him 2 months) just knocked down and broke a planter pot with a trailing philodendron that I've had for years. I had to repot it. I hope it's not too much of a shock for the poor plant. Our last cat was completely disinterested in plants. This guy is mildly interested and that is upsetting. I love my plants. I love my kitty too. What a mess that was to clean up! Now he's taking a nap in his cat tree, looking all innocent!

[graybrown bird]

Early on I decided I had to choose between having houseplants and having a cat (or two).  I voted for cats.  No regrets.

Edited April 15 by graybrown bird

[Ancaster]

1 hour ago, BetyBee said:

Our new to us cat (he's 4.5 and we've had him 2 months) just knocked down and broke a planter pot with a trailing philodendron that I've had for years. I had to repot it. I hope it's not too much of a shock for the poor plant. Our last cat was completely disinterested in plants. This guy is mildly interested and that is upsetting. I love my plants. I love my kitty too. What a mess that was to clean up! Now he's taking a nap in his cat tree, looking all innocent!

Hmm.  Plant ot cat?  Cat or plant?  Sometimes we just have to accept they will battle it out for our attention and affection.   😼 🪴

[Fosca]

I'm hoping one day to have an outdoor balcony or patio so I can have plants again.  With my current cat, if he wasn't eating it he'd be attempting to climb it or knocking it over (he likes to knock things off the kitchen counter and then look at me for my reaction, the little bugger).

[Suzn]

3 hours ago, graybrown bird said:

Early on I decided I had to choose between having houseplants and having a cat (or two).  I voted for cats.  No regrets.

My story exactly!

And absolutely no regrets.

[BetyBee]

14 hours ago, graybrown bird said:

Early on I decided I had to choose between having houseplants and having a cat (or two).  I voted for cats.  No regrets.

I may have to make the same choice. These are plants I rescued from our plant company at work, plants that they were going to throw away, and I've been retired for 5 years! If Leo keeps destroying them, he may make that choice for me!

[Absolom]

There are plant stands that make it more difficult for the critters to destroy pots and plants. Also keeping a mister nearby and spritz the cat if he gets near the plants may help. I once had several dozen of the same African violet because the parrot kept attacking them and I grew babies from the leaves.

[kaleidoscope]

I have catnip growing in a porch pot that I can bring in to the kitchen.  My furry ones go nuts.  They eat the fresh leaves like salad.

[Ancaster]

6 hours ago, Absolom said:

There are plant stands that make it more difficult for the critters to destroy pots and plants. Also keeping a mister nearby and spritz the cat if he gets near the plants may help. I once had several dozen of the same African violet because the parrot kept attacking them and I grew babies from the leaves.

I have a spritzer within hands' reach, but the mister has yet to understand directions and still knocks over my plants.

[kristen111]

On 4/10/2024 at 4:49 AM, SunnyBeBe said:

I appreciate your candid response.  I had read about technology lacking in the Crosstrek.  I’ll have to factor that in.  I hadn’t considered a Ford Escape, but I will now.  
 

I’m now wondering….do I want a hybrid?  Hmmmm….

Well, now I’m doing the deep dive. Which is good. It’s a lot of money. So, I’m exploring Ford Escape, Mazda CX-5, Crosstrek, Rave 4 and Kia Sportage. 

 

Thank you for your help on this.  

After leasing for 3 years, we just bought the Kia Sportage.  It’s fine, not like my previous RAV4, but it’s o.k.  Has everything we need, but I’m still pissed off it doesn’t have a cd player.  Husband didn’t want to go the extra money for the RAV4.

[CalicoKitty]

If you don't want to be attacked by your cats, never use Icy Hot, or any other topical pain reliever containing capsaicin.  Capsaicin is a derivative of catnip.  My cats went wild and would not leave me alone.  I never used it again.

[Jynnan tonnix]

On 4/15/2024 at 6:43 PM, Ancaster said:

Hmm.  Plant ot cat?  Cat or plant?  Sometimes we just have to accept they will battle it out for our attention and affection.   😼 🪴

We have always had both cats and plants. Some of the cats have been more destructive than others, but never to the point that more than the occasional plant has met it's actual doom. Last week, our almost two year old cat managed to pull down a big spider plant which had, to be fair, kind of teetering precariously on a bit of a jury-rigged plant stand (built up taller precisely to try to keep the cats from eating it) for the longest time, and scared the daylights out of himself. I decided it needed repotting, then discovered that the sheer weight of the individual plants in the pot had pulled them slowly up until the entire thing was, for all intents and purposes, just resting on top of the dirt in the pot! It is recovering now, thinned out and re-anchored, but still looking a bit flat. They are pretty resilient, though, and I have way too many baby spider plants in any case, because I can never bring myself to dispose of them when they break off for whatever reason. Same with jade plants.

Ignore the renegade spoiler box. I accidentally stuck it in there trying to edit, and can't figure out how to make it go away.

 

 

Spoiler

 

 

[Fosca]

6 hours ago, CalicoKitty said:

If you don't want to be attacked by your cats, never use Icy Hot, or any other topical pain reliever containing capsaicin.  Capsaicin is a derivative of catnip.  My cats went wild and would not leave me alone.  I never used it again.

I've never heard that; I always thought that it was the active ingredient in chili peppers, which is what I found when I looked it up.

[ginger90]

19 minutes ago, Fosca said:

I've never heard that; I always thought that it was the active ingredient in chili peppers, which is what I found when I looked it up.

What I found:

 

Topical pain relief ointments such as Bengay and Icy Hot contain ingredients such as menthol and wintergreen, both of which belong to the same family as catmint, which has a similar scent to catnip.

[kristen111]

2 hours ago, Fosca said:

I've never heard that; I always thought that it was the active ingredient in chili peppers, which is what I found when I looked it up.

When having a back pain issue, I bought Icy hot.   I rubb d some on my upper back, and within an hour, I became deathly sick.  It was that, as I did not inject anything or rub anything but icy hot.  Never again.  The only things I can use is Vicks vapo rub or Sports Creme.  Beware, if you are sensitive, or even not.

[jcbrown]

2 hours ago, ginger90 said:

What I found:

 

Topical pain relief ointments such as Bengay and Icy Hot contain ingredients such as menthol and wintergreen, both of which belong to the same family as catmint, which has a similar scent to catnip.

My kitty who lived with me from the time she was three weeks old until we had to say goodbye at the age of 19 years two months was a freak for mint. I used Burt's Bees lip balm at the time and she always wanted to French kiss me after I put it on (she did not get to, to be clear). She also loved to try to play reverse lion tamer (she would try to put her head in my mouth) when I had a spearmint Altoid.

[Fosca]

4 hours ago, ginger90 said:

What I found:

 

Topical pain relief ointments such as Bengay and Icy Hot contain ingredients such as menthol and wintergreen, both of which belong to the same family as catmint, which has a similar scent to catnip.

 

That makes more sense--thank you!

[SunnyBeBe]

15 hours ago, kristen111 said:

After leasing for 3 years, we just bought the Kia Sportage.  It’s fine, not like my previous RAV4, but it’s o.k.  Has everything we need, but I’m still pissed off it doesn’t have a cd player.  Husband didn’t want to go the extra money for the RAV4.

Did you go over the mileage?  I did years ago and then bought the car.  I’m wary of a lease for that reason, but they have some great deals on leases right now, for all kinds of vehicles. 

[kristen111]

1 hour ago, SunnyBeBe said:

Did you go over the mileage?  I did years ago and then bought the car.  I’m wary of a lease for that reason, but they have some great deals on leases right now, for all kinds of vehicles. 

No, never went over the mileage.  Husband looked at every angle with several cars, then decided on the Kia.  It’s white, looks beautiful, and the deal was good.  The others are very expensive now.  He investigates every angle, I just pick the color.  But, if we were loaded with money, I would have went with a RAV4 which I just love.  To me, it’s a much better car in every way.

[SunnyBeBe]

1 hour ago, kristen111 said:

No, never went over the mileage.  Husband looked at every angle with several cars, then decided on the Kia.  It’s white, looks beautiful, and the deal was good.  The others are very expensive now.  He investigates every angle, I just pick the color.  But, if we were loaded with money, I would have went with a RAV4 which I just love.  To me, it’s a much better car in every way.

I see.  I think I will be able to make up my mind once I can sit in them. I am very touch sensitive person.  The way things feel impact me a lot. Lol. Really. I know it may sound silly.  Then, the test drive will seal the deal. 
 

It’s funny that I used to think my dream car was a Lincoln SUV.  My family has this thing about Lincolns…long story. But, anyway I actually sat in one and it was not like I imagined.  Now, I’m not as impressed with the Lincoln. They are pricy too.  My dad still has an old Lincoln sedan. It is a smooth ride.  

Edited April 18 by SunnyBeBe

[Mindthinkr]

2 hours ago, SunnyBeBe said:

It’s funny that I used to think my dream car was a Lincoln SUV.  My family has this thing about Lincolns…long story. But, anyway I actually sat in one and it was not like I imagined.  Now, I’m not as impressed with the Lincoln. They are pricy too.  My dad still has an old Lincoln sedan. It is a smooth ride.  

I bought a used Lincoln many years ago and enjoyed 19 years with it. Fortunately it didn’t go out of style, have major mechanical issues and fit car seats for the grands. It was a very smooth ride and I dubbed it the land yacht. 
When I went car shopping two years ago I tried another Lincoln. It was a far cry from the old one. Not as big or comfortable. Needless to say I didn’t buy another one. 
I really miss music players (especially the CD) being a part of a cars normal package. I’m considering putting one in my car. I really miss my road music. 

[SunnyBeBe]

37 minutes ago, Mindthinkr said:

I bought a used Lincoln many years ago and enjoyed 19 years with it. Fortunately it didn’t go out of style, have major mechanical issues and fit car seats for the grands. It was a very smooth ride and I dubbed it the land yacht. 
When I went car shopping two years ago I tried another Lincoln. It was a far cry from the old one. Not as big or comfortable. Needless to say I didn’t buy another one. 
I really miss music players (especially the CD) being a part of a cars normal package. I’m considering putting one in my car. I really miss my road music. 

I kid about how nobody messes with me when I’m in the Lincoln! Lol Traffic avoids me.  It’s so nice to sort of be so well respected in a large, heavy vehicle. Lol. 

[Jynnan tonnix]

On 4/12/2024 at 7:51 AM, Mindthinkr said:

No matter which car you choose to buy be sure to check multiple dealers for the best price. My daughter just bought a new Subaru a few months ago. She was willing to drive to a few dealerships. She got a quote (written) and she took it with her to see if the other salespersons could beat the previous deal. After some careful comparisons she ended up paying $6k less than what the original price was. She had to buy it from a place a hour from her home, but is able to use the closer one for service. 

When we bought our most recent car (a couple of years ago), the first dealer (or, rather, salesman at the dealership) that we went to totally tried to stiff us on the price. Luckily, Mr Jyn can spot games like that from a mile away. I don't do as well with the numbers side of it, but you could almost just look at him and know he was a sleazeball with his outdated, slick salesman demeanor. Ugh.

Anyway, we ended up getting a Hyundai Tucson. Mostly because of the Hyundai warrantee, and Mr Jyn loves his Sonata, while I like a bigger vehicle that sits a little higher. My previous car was a Mazda 5, which I actually liked a lot better, but we ended up giving that to my daughter when  both her and her husband's cars died at about the same time. But Mazda had discontinued that model a couple of years previously. The Tucson does drive well enough, and all, but the back/trunk area is not nearly as roomy as the Mazda, and since the new models were just coming out, we really wanted to get a deal on a leftover, but the only available color anywhere was black, and black cars just always remind me of Darth Vader.